Amid the rumors surrounding Lane Kiffin’s eventual departure, the Rebels drowned out the noise and beat Mississippi State 38-19 on Friday, Nov. 28 in the Egg Bowl.
Chambliss is more than capable, but he has flaws
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ rise to the starting quarterback role has been the best-case scenario for a team who lost Jaxson Dart to the NFL. Chambliss entered the season as Austin Simmons’ backup; second-string quarterbacks rarely play up to the level of the starters, much less outshine them, but Chambliss has done just that.
During the Egg Bowl, Chambliss made several jaw-dropping throws, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to Harrison Wallace III in which he dropped the ball perfectly into Wallace’s outstretched hands.
Chambliss also had several shorter completions he managed to fit into tight windows between multiple Bulldog defenders.
However, there were some worrisome moments during the game when Chambliss did not look comfortable. Chambliss has been both praised and criticized for his deep ball, and this game is another example of his inconsistency. He was only 3-for-7 on passes for 15 or more air yards and had several deep incompletions. Had he been able to connect on more of these, the Rebels could have put the game away much quicker.
The Rebels finished the second quarter with a touchdown, but ahead of that, their four drives ended in a missed field goal and three punts, including back-to-back three-and-outs.
Chambliss had separate streaks of three incompletions and five incompletions during this stretch. Still, he settled down after the half and did not throw two consecutive incompletions for the rest of the game.
The defense is not playoff-ready
As has been a recurring theme this season, the Rebel defense failed to contain a mobile quarterback. Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor had his way on the ground. He finished with 173 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
While Taylor’s completion percentage was below 50%, this was more due to Taylor’s lack of passing polish rather than dominance from the Ole Miss secondary — though the defensive backs did make some solid plays, including Wydett Williams Jr.’s recovery and last-second deflection on what would have been a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The defense also had several missed tackles. Starting linebacker TJ Dottery spoke about a simple fix for these mishaps during his postgame press conference.
“Wrap up when tackling,” Dottery said. “I felt like the plays he (Taylor) did … we just didn’t wrap up and finish, so that was probably the biggest thing. We were not executing, and we were not finishing.”
Admittedly, while the first quarter primed the game to be a shootout, the defense was able to bend and not break for much of the game. The Rebels generated plenty of pressure, tallying three sacks and seven quarterback hurries.
Outside linebacker Princewill Umanmielen was the main catalyst for Ole Miss. He led the defense with an interception on a tipped ball, a sack and a stop on fourth down.
The fan appreciation was at an all-time high
Looking into the crowd at Davis Wade Stadium, this felt more like a neutral-site game than home advantage for Mississippi State. Seas of powder blue and Rebel red nearly matched the sections of Mississippi State maroon.
Players and coaches alike appreciated the support of the fans and felt emboldened by the atmosphere that the Rebel faithful created. Chambliss commented on how much taking over a rival’s stadium meant to him in his press conference.
“Just seeing so many people out here, Ole Miss fans, it was just great to see,” Chambliss said.
Running back Kewan Lacy also commented on the strong turnout.
“It’s crazy coming to Mississippi State and seeing half our fans out there,” Lacy said. “That was very important. Just having that environment around us is just great.”
What’s next?
This game all but sealed a home playoff game for the Rebels. Following the College Football Playoff Committee’s release of the playoff bracket on Dec. 7, the Rebels could host a first-round game on either Dec. 19 or 20.
